“I can't hastily confirm anything else, but those things outside are definitely not living people,” Yun Nian recalled the previous scene, her eyes filled with helplessness. “Just look at those so-called ‘people’ outside; they wear Yunyou Alliance tokens but drink with people dressed like Demonic Path Cultivators. People of the Fire Cloud Clan from the far south are chatting and laughing with members of the rival Fengmian Clan. They have fatal wounds on their bodies, yet they talk and act like normal people, seemingly unaware. The reason I previously said there was nothing wrong here is because I had already concluded that this is where the incident occurred. We are now in great danger."

After she finished speaking, Xi Mo was stunned for a moment. He then began recalling everything he had witnessed since entering the city. The deeper he thought, the more abnormal it seemed. After a long while, his expression changed slightly: “So, the communication spirit tool couldn't contact the branch because of this too? How is this possible? Qinglu City belongs to the Dao Cultivators; how could this situation arise?”

“Qinglu City...” Yun Nian's eyes flickered, and she immediately said, “Never mind where this place is for now, we cannot stay here any longer.”

“Should we leave the city now?” Xi Mo asked.

“We can't leave,” Yun Nian suddenly remembered the stone stele she had seen at the city gate earlier. “There is a Barrier here.”

The stone stele that briefly appeared meant they had already stepped inside the Barrier, isolating them from the outside world.

Silence fell over the room.

Xi Mo pondered for a long time: “Since it's a Barrier, there must be a way to break it. I will go try.”

Yun Nian turned her gaze towards him: “The Barrier must have been set up by someone, and since that person set up the Barrier, there is a high probability they are in this city. We don't yet know where they are, what their cultivation level is, or what their goal is. It's best not to act rashly.”

“Are we just going to sit here and wait for death?” Xi Mo frowned.

The further they went, the more uneasy Yun Nian felt. The major flaw that appeared in the Formation back in Huan Yuan Valley must have been influenced by this situation, showing just how tricky this matter is. And when the Formation went wrong, Qi Rou didn't show up. If she didn't stay guarding Huan Yuan Valley but went elsewhere, she likely went to the Sect to report the situation. A situation that could compel a Nascent Soul Stage powerful being to do this made Yun Nian even more worried. This time, they might be facing serious misfortune.

“Let's observe for a while,” Yun Nian's eyes flickered slightly. “Since we entered this Inn, those things outside haven't tried to kill us. I assume there is another reason for this. As long as we are alive, there will definitely be a way out.”

Looking at the seriousness on Yun Nian's face and the calmness in her eyes, Xi Mo was suddenly stunned for a moment. He had never seen such an expression on a twelve-year-old girl, and she unconsciously exuded a feeling... a trustworthy feeling.

Xi Mo recovered his senses, lowered his eyes, and slowly said, “Alright. Keep this Talisman on you.”

As he spoke, he took a red Talisman out of his Storage Ring and handed it to Yun Nian.

“This contains the full-force strike of an Soul Emergence Stage powerful being. You can use this Talisman to save your life in an emergency,” Xi Mo explained further.

Glancing at the Talisman in Xi Mo's hand, Yun Nian's heart stirred, and she looked up at him: “Why are you giving it to me?”

Yun Nian knew that in all these powerful Families, the elders would certainly give their valued juniors life-saving items. A Talisman like the one in Xi Mo's hand was refined by an Soul Emergence Stage powerful Cultivator in his Clan, using their blood as a catalyst. This process definitely damages the body and is extremely difficult to refine, which shows how important Xi Mo's status is within his Clan. But such an item is extraordinarily precious, and few people would damage their health to refine such a thing for anyone who wasn't their direct descendant. Yet, Xi Mo was willing to give it to her.

“You said you trust me. I was the one who brought you here, so no matter what, I must bring you out alive,” Xi Mo's face maintained its usual cold and indifferent expression. “My cultivation has already reached the Half-step Golden Core, so self-preservation is not an issue. I don't need this.”

Yun Nian paused, narrowing her eyes: “Are you sure about this?”

“Just take it when I tell you to take it!” Xi Mo seemed quite impatient, shoving the red Talisman into Yun Nian's hand. “Being so hesitant, I really don't know why Elder Xu Xu values you so much!”

After speaking, Xi Mo turned and left the room, heading towards his own chamber.

Yun Nian was silent for a moment. After putting the Talisman away, she found a meditation cushion and began closing her eyes to regulate her breathing. At the same time, her Divine Sense had quietly infiltrated the Inn.

Back in his room, Xi Mo looked at the wanghen blade placed on his table, and his lips pursed slightly.

After pondering for a moment, Xi Mo picked up the wanghen blade. Just as he stepped out of his room, a familiar figure walked past him.

Xi Mo's eyes suddenly moved, and he quickly called out, “Wait!”

Hearing this, the figure stopped, turned around to look in Xi Mo's direction, and asked, “Is something the matter?”

As the voice fell, a hint of surprise flashed in Xi Mo's eyes. He looked again at the person's eyes, which were filled with unfamiliarity, as if they didn't recognize him at all.

“Fellow Daoist?” Seeing Xi Mo distracted, the person asked again.

“It's nothing, please excuse my rudeness.” Xi Mo said calmly.

The person nodded slightly at him, then turned around and continued walking forward.

After the person left, Xi Mo immediately quickened his pace and headed toward Yun Nian's room.

Since Yun Nian's Divine Sense detected Xi Mo's arrival, she didn't bother intervening and allowed him to push the door open and enter.

“Is there anything else?” Yun Nian looked up at him.

Xi Mo flipped his hand, took out the wanghen blade, and continued, “What I promised you earlier.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Yun Nian was already standing up, taking the wanghen blade from his hand, her eyes shining with a rare light.

The scabbard, made of black animal hide, was exquisitely crafted and cold to the touch. As the long blade was drawn, a fierce aura rushed forth. Strange symbols seemed to be carved onto the blade using fresh blood.

Yun Nian couldn't help but ask, “What is this?”

“Sanskrit.” Xi Mo was slightly surprised. Although the Yun Family had only recently become a second-rate Clan, in the Cultivation World, any slightly affluent Clan would usually have private schooling and would certainly learn various types of knowledge related to the Cultivation World. Sanskrit, which is commonly used by Buddhist Cultivators, is one such subject, yet she didn't recognize it.

Hearing this, Yun Nian began looking at it more seriously, but she truly couldn't understand it, so she asked again, “What does it say?”

“'All actions are impermanent; they are the dharma of arising and passing away.'” Xi Mo looked at her, paused, and continued, “The creator of this wanghen blade was originally a highly respected Buddhist Cultivator who, due to a single misguided thought, fell into the Demonic Path. He then used his own fresh blood as a catalyst to forge this wanghen blade, after which he took his own life, ending this existence.”